The past is never far
by midnitebeauty101
Summary: She's running away from everything and to nothing. But when she becomes indebted to Spot Conlon, will she finally have a place to call home? And how long will it be before they find out the truth about her true identity?
1. Chapter 1

Judging by the position of the sun, she figured it had to be around five o'clock at night. Her legs, which felt like they were on fire, slowed to a walk without permission. The dark haired girl had been running for a good two days now and hadn't allowed herself to stop for a real meal. Her only thought was getting away. After deciding that she was safe for the time being, she looked around in a desperate attempt to locate some dinner. She finally stopped in front of a restaurant with a beat-up sign that read "Tibby's"

Entered hesitantly, she scouting out her surroundings before settling into a booth. She wasn't planning on ordering, but she also hadn't realized how hungry she was. The waitor came over and, acting on impulse, she ordered a coke, two cheeseburgers and a large order of fries. The food came about ten minutes later. She was so preoccupied by having real food in front of her, that she took no notice to a steady flow of rowdy boys entering the restaurant. By the time she finally noticed, there were about eleven of them and they were all in booths, clowning around. The one who happened to be in the center of the chaos looked up, his eyes resting on her. After a moment, she quickly looked away and finished the last of her drink. When she looked back, the boy's eyes were no longer on her, but instead on a lively Italian boy, who seemed to be telling some sort of elaborate story.

After looking around once more to make sure no one was watching her, she quietly got up from the booth. As quickly as she could, she sprinted for the back door. By the time the waitor realized she had skipped out on the check, he was too late.

Once outside, the girl realized she had nowhere to go. A voice cleared their throat behind her and she spun around, finding herself looking right into the eyes of the boy from the restaurant.

They held eachother's gaze for a minute before she took off running in the opposite direction. He was right behind her, but the girl was nothing if not quick. She took as many different turns as she could, trying desperately to lose the boy. To his advantage, however, the boy had grown up on these streets. He knew them in and out, which is way, a few blocks later, he was able to cut off the girl. Rounding the corner, she ran right into someone, cursing when she saw who it was.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya," the boy assured her. "Me name's Jack. Jack Kelly."

"Congradulations," came the mumbled reply. "What do you want with me?"

"I was watching you at Tibby's. You skipped out on the bill." The girl shrugged, clearly not seeing what the big deal was. "I don't know where you're from, but around here, people calls the bulls for shit like that."

"I still don't see why you care."

Jack sighed. "Because," he explained, "me and me friends eat there everyday. And I don't don't wanna have to find another place, just because the bulls are hanging around there." He paused, waiting for a reaction but the girl said nothing. "Look, me and the boys paid your bill. But that means that you owe us now." Again, he was greeted by only silence. "What's your name?" he demanded.

There was no way she was going to give him her real name, so instead she replied with the name her father used to call her. "Cheetah." Originally had called her 'kitten', but as she grew up she said she wanted a stronger, wilder nickname. Thus, Cheetah was born.

A large group of boys were coming towards them. Jack waved. "Those are the others."

"Other what?" Cheetah questioned.

"Other newsies." 


	2. Chapter 2

"Heya Jack, you got yourself a new girl?" called out one of them as the group approached.

"Nah," said a boy who had a cane tucked into his belt. "That ain't no girl. That's the thief from Tibby's." He walked towards her, stopping only inches away. "Time to pay up," he ordered.

"I ain't got no money," she whispered

"What was that?" the boy asked.

"I said, I ain't got no money," she repeated louder.

The boy held out his hand. "I'm Spot Conlon," he greeted her as she tentavily shook it. "Your new leader."

Cheetah looked up at him as if he were nuts. "My what?" she repeated.

"Look, you owe me and the boys some money. So, you can work under my leadership selling papes until you pay us all back," he explained.

Jack shook his head slightly. "Spot, we only got one bunkroom. Only Brooklyn does. She can't stay with all the boys. " Neither of them had bothered to ask if she had a place to stay. It was obvious by her appearance and small bag of clothes that she didn't.  
"Okay, then it's settled. She'll live in Brooklyn and work for me," Spot said in a tone that suggested that was the end of the conversation.

Fianally, Cheetah spoke up. "What? Don't I get a say in this?"

"No," both Jack and Spot answered her firmly at the same time.

"This is crazy. I don't even know you people," she pointed out.

"Oh yeah? Well what's crazier, staying at a lodging house and making money or running out on the streets sleeping in alleys. Face it kid, we're your only choice." Cheetah remained silent, knowing that Spot was right. 


	3. Chapter 3

It was seven o'clock when she and Spot began their journey back to Brooklyn. She had started to get more comfortable and was ninety percent sure these boys weren't rapists or serial killers.

"So, Cheetah," Spot said, trying to break the silence that had been going on for the past ten minutes of their walk. If someone didn't talk it would be a very, very long trip home.

"Yeah?" she replied, thankful he had started to make conversation.

"What's your story?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you show up, obviously running to or from something. I want to know why. What's your story?"

"What's yours?" she snapped back at him immediately.

Spot put up both hands in mock surrender. "Ok, you don't want to talk about it. That's fair. Tell me, you know anything about living on the streets?"

Yes. "No," she replied, glancing over at him.

"Well, you've got to be careful. Don't go walking around alone, especially at night. It can get pretty dangerous around here." Cheetah didn't say anything, but nodded to show she had been listening.

"Can you fight?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Never been in one." God, she hated this. Having to play the part of the defenseless little girl who was so naïve.

Spot turned on her suddenly, delivering a punch right to her abdamon. It would have been simple to block; to sidestep the blow, grab his wrist, and bring her knee up to meet with his face. The entire thing would have taken less then five seconds. But Cheetah knew better. For anyone to be able to fight like her was unusual, but especially a girl. Instead she watched his fist connect to her stomach, tightening her abs and taking in the punch the way she was trained. Luckily for her, the punch had little force behind it, considering Spot was just testing her. He didn't want to hurt her, but he had to know if she could fight.

"Ow!" she cried out, doubling over in pain, strictly for effect.

"Okay, the answer to that question was no, you can't fight." Spot laid a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?" Cheetah nodded and slowly straightened up. "We'll work on that," Spot informed her.

By the time they reached the Brooklyn lodging house, it was pitch black, and probably around midnight if not later. Spot lead her inside and upstairs to the left where the girl's bunkroom was located. As of now, there were only two other girls staying there. Spot turned on the light and the girls groaned. "What the hell Spot?" the younger looking one cried out.

"Watch your mouth Jamie," Spot scolded before introducing Cheetah. "Storm, I expect you to show her the ropes. She'll sell with you until lunch and then bring her on down to the docks. I'll meet you there."

The girl on the right, presumably Storm, let out a small groan, indicating that she heard him. "Go to sleep now," he instructed Cheetah. "We get up early around here." 


	4. Chapter 4

Cheetah was woken up the next morning by a hand gently shaking her. When she didn't move, the shake became more violent until, finally, she sat up in bed and faced her attacker. "Damn it Spot!" she cried. "It's like seven o'clock in the morning!"

"Actually, it's six o'clock," he replied with a smirk. "Now get your ass out of bed." When he was sure that she wasn't going to go back to sleep, he exited the room to allow the girls some privacy.

A dark-haired girl came over to her. "I'm Storm. I guess you're selling with me today."

Cheetah shrugged. "Looks like it"

It was a half hour later when they got to the distribution center. "Papes are two for a penny," Storm informed her.

"I ain't got money," Cheetah said for, what felt like the hundredth time.

"Damn," Storm replied. "I'll spot you two bits and you can pay me back later."

Great, now she could be indebted to even more people. Not seeing another way out of her situation, Cheetah simply nodded and allowed Storm to get their papers.

By noon Cheetah was starving. "When do we eat?" she questioned Storm.

"We eat now. You eat later," Storm replied. "Spot wants you down at the docks." The walk to the docks was silent, with Cheetah cursing off Spot in her head.

Storm left as soon as they reached the docks. Spot was waiting for Cheetah as she slowly walked down them. "How'd you do selling?" he asked her.

"Well, I owe Storm two-bits," she answered.

"Why didn't you just pay her back out of your profits from the day?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. When she didn't answer he began to laugh.

"What?" she demanded.

"You didn't even make two-bits today," he managed to reply before cracking up again.

"Okay, so I'm not the best newsie in the world. It's only my first day."

"At this rate, it's going to take you all year just to pay me back," he commented with a smirk.

"Shut up," Cheetah snapped. Looking around, she noticed that nobody else was around. "What are we doing here?"

"I'm teaching you how to fight."

Great, just what she needed. Some amateur with an attitude telling her how she should fight. She felt a sudden desire to take him by surprise and throw a few good punches once they started. Luckily, she managed to calm her anger before they began. Once again, she would have to pretend she was just a normal girl. Not the daughter of Aldo Moretti. 


	5. Chapter 5

When they finished her "training" for the day, the sun was beginning to set and Cheetah was starving. That's why, when Spot asked her if she wanted to grab some food, she didn't even hesitate before agreeing.

Apparently, when Spot asked her to grab some food, he had meant it in a very literal sense. After distracting a street vendor so that Cheetah could steal some apples, the two returned to the docks to sit and eat. "So," Spot began after biting into his apple, "where ya from?"

"Manhattan," Cheetah replied, dangling her feet over the edge of the dock.

"No ya ain't," Spot argued, turning to face her. "Ya don't have the right accent. Yer from Jersey, ain't ya?"

Cheetah refused to lock eyes with him. Instead she glanced out over the water, taking in the way the sky seemed to meet with it on the far horizon. Finally, she nodded slightly.

"Alright, so where are you headed?" he asked her.

"Nowhere."

He sighed, obviouslt getting frustrated at this point. "Come on Cheetah. I gave you a place to stay...the least you can do is give me a truthful answer."

She smiled slightly before turning to match his intense gaze. "That is the truth Spot. I don't have anywhere to go. I just ran, hoping that I would end up somewhere better than the place I left."

It was obvious that that he had many more questions, but he only asked one. "Are you in danger?"

The girl looked at him for a few moments before standing up. "Thanks for the apple," she said and made her way back to the lodging house. 


End file.
